Rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) respond to nerve growth factor (NGF) by
elaborating neurites. We have studied the effect of extracellular matrix
proteins on responsiveness of PC12 cells to NGF. NGF elicited neurite
outgrowth in cells plated on collagen, fibronectin, or laminin within 48-72
h. In contrast, cells entrapped in reconstituted basement membrane prepared
from the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm tumor (EHS-BM) responded within 24 h. Cells
plated on collagen or fibronectin required a minimal dose of 50 ng/ml NGF
to achieve the same effect as cells entrapped in EHS-BM at 1 ng/ml NGF.
Neurites displayed by cells plated in EHS-BM were more extensively branched
and remained intact up to 21 days following a single administration of NGF.